The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

  Give me the map there. Know that we have divided

  In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent

  To shake all cares and business from our age;

  Conferring them on younger strengths, while we

  Unburthen'd crawl toward death. Our son of Cornwall,

  And you, our no less loving son of Albany,

  We have this hour a constant will to publish

  Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife

  May be prevented now. The princes, France and Burgundy,

  Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,

  Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,

  And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters,--

  Since now we will divest us both of rule,

  Interest of territory, cares of state,--

  Which of you shall we say doth love us most?

  That we our largest bounty may extend

  Where nature doth with merit challenge. Goneril,

  Our eldest-born, speak first.

  In the meantime I shall reveal my secret plan.

  Give me that map. Be aware that I have divided

  my kingdom into three: I am determined

  to throw off all work and duty in my old age;

  I will hand them over to younger men, while I

  crawl towards death unencumbered. Our son Cornwall,

  and you, just as loving son Albany,

  I have determined that today I will announce

  the different dowries of my daughters, so that

  we can nip any future disputes in the bud. The Princes of France and Burgundy,

  great rivals for the love of my youngest daughter,

  have been staying in my court, out of love, for a long time,

  and will be given my decision today. Tell me, my daughters–

  since I am now throwing off my kingship,

  ownership of land and the cares of state–

  which of you shall we say loves me the most?

  The biggest share will go to the one where merit most enhances nature. Goneril,

  my firstborn, you speak first.

  GONERIL

  Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter;

  Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty;

  Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare;

  No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour;

  As much as child e'er loved, or father found;

  A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;

  Beyond all manner of so much I love you.

  Sir, I love you more than words can express;

  more than my eyesight, my freedom and my liberty;

  more than anything of value, expensive or rare;

  as much as life, grace, health, beauty, honor;

  I am the most loving child ever, no father could find better;

  my love makes me breathless and speechless;

  I love you beyond all expression.

  CORDELIA

  [Aside] What shall Cordelia do?

  Love, and be silent.

  What shall Cordelia do?

  You must love, and be silent.

  LEAR

  Of all these bounds, even from this line to this,

  With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,

  With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,

  We make thee lady: to thine and Albany's issue

  Be this perpetual. What says our second daughter,

  Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

  All of this territory, from this line to this,

  full of shady forests and open plains,

  with many rivers and extensive meadows,

  we make you the lady of: this shall be handed down to your children

  in perpetuity. What does my second daughter say,

  dearest Regan, the wife of Cornwall? Speak.

  REGAN

  Sir, I am made

  Of the self-same metal that my sister is,

  And prize me at her worth. In my true heart

  I find she names my very deed of love;

  Only she comes too short: that I profess

  Myself an enemy to all other joys,

  Which the most precious square of sense possesses;

  And find I am alone felicitate

  In your dear highness' love.

  Sir, I am

  identical in this way to my sister,

  and of equal merit. She has

  spoken everything that is in my heart,

  only she falls short: I have to say

  that no other happiness means anything to me,

  nothing which the highest sense could feel;

  the only thing that makes me happy

  is your dear highness' love.

  CORDELIA

  [Aside] Then poor Cordelia!

  And yet not so; since, I am sure, my love's

  More richer than my tongue.

  This is bad for you Cordelia!

  And yet it isn't, since I'm sure that my love

  is more than I can say.

  KING LEAR

  To thee and thine hereditary ever

  Remain this ample third of our fair kingdom;

  No less in space, validity, and pleasure,

  Than that conferr'd on Goneril. Now, our joy,

  Although the last, not least; to whose young love

  The vines of France and milk of Burgundy

  Strive to be interess'd; what can you say to draw

  A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak.

  You and your descendants for ever

  shall have this large third of my beautiful country;

  it's no less spacious, profitable or lovely

  than Goneril's share. Now, the light of my eye,

  last but not least; the one whose young love

  the Dukes of France and Burgundy

  are fighting to win; what can you say to get

  a richer third than your sisters? Speak.

  CORDELIA

  Nothing, my lord.

  Nothing, my lord.

  KING LEAR

  Nothing!

  Nothing!

  CORDELIA

  Nothing.

  Nothing.

  KING LEAR

  Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

  You won't get anything for nothing: try again.

  CORDELIA

  Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave

  My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty

  According to my bond; nor more nor less.

  I'm sorry, but I cannot force myself

  to express my feelings: I love your Majesty

  just as I should; no more nor less.

  KING LEAR

  How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little,

  Lest it may mar your fortunes.

  What's this, Cordelia! You should speak differently,

  or you'll talk yourself out of your fortune.

  CORDELIA

  Good my lord,

  You have begot me, bred me, loved me: I

  Return those duties back as are right fit,

  Obey you, love you, and most honour you.

  Why have my sisters husbands, if they say

  They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,

  That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry

  Half my love with him, half my care and duty:

  Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters,

  To love my father all.

  My good lord,

  you've fathered me, brought me up and loved me: I

  repay you in the proper way,

  by obeying you, loving you and honoring you.

  Why do my sisters have husbands, if they say

  that all their love is for you? When and if I marry,

  the lord who takes my hand will also get

  half my love, of my attention and care:

  I certainly will not marry like my sisters,<
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  only having love for my father.

  KING LEAR

  But goes thy heart with this?

  Are you speaking from the heart?

  CORDELIA

  Ay, good my lord.

  Yes, my good lord.

  KING LEAR

  So young, and so untender?

  You're so young and so hardhearted?

  CORDELIA

  So young, my lord, and true.

  So young, my lord, and honest.

  KING LEAR

  Let it be so; thy truth, then, be thy dower:

  For, by the sacred radiance of the sun,

  The mysteries of Hecate, and the night;

  By all the operation of the orbs

  From whom we do exist, and cease to be;

  Here I disclaim all my paternal care,

  Propinquity and property of blood,

  And as a stranger to my heart and me

  Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Scythian,

  Or he that makes his generation messes

  To gorge his appetite, shall to my bosom

  Be as well neighbour'd, pitied, and relieved,

  As thou my sometime daughter.

  So be it; let your honesty be your dowry then:

  by the holy light of the sun,

  these secrets of the underworld and the night;

  by the movement of the stars

  which mark our births and deaths;

  I hereby disown all my fatherly duties,

  family relations and blood ties,

  and declare that you are now a stranger to my heart and me

  forever, from this moment on. The barbarian Scythian,

  or the ones who make their parents into stews

  to assuage their appetites, shall be as close

  to my heart, just as helped and pitied

  as you, who was once my daughter.

  KENT

  Good my liege,--

  My good Lord–

  KING LEAR

  Peace, Kent!

  Come not between the dragon and his wrath.

  I loved her most, and thought to set my rest

  On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight!

  So be my grave my peace, as here I give

  Her father's heart from her! Call France; who stirs?

  Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

  With my two daughters' dowers digest this third:

  Let pride, which she calls plainness, marry her.

  I do invest you jointly with my power,

  Pre-eminence, and all the large effects

  That troop with majesty. Ourself, by monthly course,

  With reservation of an hundred knights,

  By you to be sustain'd, shall our abode

  Make with you by due turns. Only we still retain

  The name, and all the additions to a king;

  The sway, revenue, execution of the rest,

  Beloved sons, be yours: which to confirm,

  This coronet part betwixt you.

  Giving the crown

  Quiet, Kent!

  Do not come between the Dragon and his victim.

  I loved her the most, and thought that she

  would look after me in my retirement. Get out, don't let me see you again!

  There will be no peace this side of the grave, and I take

  her father's heart away from her! Call France; who's going to do it?

  Call Burgundy. Cornwall and Albany,

  take this extra third along with my two daughters' dowries:

  let her marry her pride, which she calls honesty;

  I give you both my power to share,

  my superiority and all the other privileges

  of kingship. I shall stay with you month and month about

  with a retinue of a hundred knights, which you shall pay for.

  I shall keep the title of King, and the honours due to it;

  the power, income and administration of the rest

  is yours, beloved sons: to confirm this

  you can split this crown between you.

  KENT

  Royal Lear,

  Whom I have ever honour'd as my king,

  Loved as my father, as my master follow'd,

  As my great patron thought on in my prayers,--

  Royal Lear,

  whom I have always honoured as my King,

  loved as my father, and followed as my master,

  remembered you in my prayers as my great patron–

  KING LEAR

  The bow is bent and drawn, make from the shaft.

  Enough preamble, make your point.

  KENT

  Let it fall rather, though the fork invade

  The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly,

  When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man?

  Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak,

  When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound,

  When majesty stoops to folly. Reverse thy doom;

  And, in thy best consideration, cheque

  This hideous rashness: answer my life my judgment,

  Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least;

  Nor are those empty-hearted whose low sound

  Reverbs no hollowness.

  I will make it, although the point might go

  through my heart: Kent will be discourteous,

  when Lear is mad. What are you doing, old man?

  Do you think that duty should be silent,

  when power gives in to flattery? Honor demands honesty,

  when royalty acts stupidly. Take back your pronouncement;

  think more carefully and stop

  this ghastly foolishness: I will stake my life on the fact

  that your youngest daughter does not love you the least;

  just because somebody is not shallow

  it does not mean they are empty hearted.

  KING LEAR

  Kent, on thy life, no more.

  Kent, if you value your life, be quiet.

  KENT

  My life I never held but as a pawn

  To wage against thy enemies; nor fear to lose it,

  Thy safety being the motive.

  I never thought of my life as anything but a pawn

  in the fight against your enemies: and I do not fear losing it

  if your safety is at stake.

  KING LEAR

  Out of my sight!

  Get out of my sight!

  KENT

  See better, Lear; and let me still remain

  The true blank of thine eye.

  See more clearly, Lear; let me stay

  before you and advise you.

  KING LEAR

  Now, by Apollo,--

  Now, by Apollo–

  KENT

  Now, by Apollo, king,

  Thou swear'st thy gods in vain.

  Now, by Apollo, King,

  you're taking your god's name in vain.

  KING LEAR

  O, vassal! miscreant!

  Laying his hand on his sword

  Oh, you slave! Scoundrel!

  ALBANY CORNWALL

  Dear sir, forbear.

  Dear Sir, hold back.

  KENT

  Do:

  Kill thy physician, and the fee bestow

  Upon thy foul disease. Revoke thy doom;

  Or, whilst I can vent clamour from my throat,

  I'll tell thee thou dost evil.

  Do:

  kill your doctor, and give the fee

  to your foul disease. Take back your pronouncement;

  or, as long as I can still speak,

  I'll tell you you're doing wrong.

  KING LEAR

  Hear me, recreant!

  On thine allegiance, hear me!

  Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow,

  Which we durst never yet, and with strain'd pride

  To come between our sentence and our power,

  Which nor
our nature nor our place can bear,

  Our potency made good, take thy reward.

  Five days we do allot thee, for provision

  To shield thee from diseases of the world;

  And on the sixth to turn thy hated back

  Upon our kingdom: if, on the tenth day following,

  Thy banish'd trunk be found in our dominions,

  The moment is thy death. Away! by Jupiter,

  This shall not be revoked.

  Listen to me, you traitor!

  Stick to your duty, listen to me!

  Since you have tried to make me break my vow,

  which I have never done, and with unnatural pride

  have tried to come between my decision and its execution,

  which neither my nature nor my position can tolerate,

  I will show my power, here is your reward.

  I give you five days to prepare yourself

  against what the world may bring;

  on the sixth you shall turn your hated back

  upon my kingdom: if, on the tenth day after that,

  your exiled body is found in my kingdom,

  you shall be executed. Get out! by Jupiter,

  I shall stick to this.

  KENT

  Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear,

  Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here.

  Farewell, King: since you will behave like this,

  freedom lives elsewhere, and exile is here.

  To CORDELIA

  The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid,

  That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said!

  Maiden, may the gods take you under their sweet protection,

  your thoughts are correct and you were right to speak out!

  To REGAN and GONERIL

  And your large speeches may your deeds approve,

  That good effects may spring from words of love.

  Thus Kent, O princes, bids you all adieu;